Arraignments?

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Soulman13

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So, you have those cool lyrics all your friends think are the sh*t. You've got that neat guitar lick, and for once you get a melody that doesn't completely blow.

Now what?

I have a 'song' written that I am trying to record. The problem is every time I work on a part, the back of my mind is worrying about other parts I haven't written, or how the mix is going to work, or what if it all sucks, or....

I know there is no 'right way' to go about this, but what is a good approach to that important middle part of songwriting?
 
It sounds like you lack confidence my man, don't worry about it. Just do it! If one part or track sucks you can always re-record that part. The key thing is to just go for it and not worry. The first song I recorded was terrible, but each time I do it, I get a little better. :)
 
Get the drums, the bass, and the vocal working and acting like a song and you are almost there....add a main rhthym part (guitar, piano, whatever)....everything else should be little complimentary things....don't go overboard with overdubs (unless you have a specific sound in mind).....
 
Gidge is right and remember, you are your own worst critic.
 
Don't over work yourself. If you can't get it down in a couple of takes and you don't know what it's supposed to sound like then leave it for a while and come back to it when your in the right state of mind (I don't neccesarily mean pissed or high).

I know your friends think the lyrics are shit, doesn't mean they can't listen to the music and help you out on that part. If not; well they ain't no friends I'd want.
 
Krystof,

I think soulman was trying to say his friends thought his lyrics were 'the shit' not shit. :) That means good lyrics, or as you might say in Sheffield 'the dogs bollocks'.
 
I've only written a few songs but my philosophy is Learn by doing, Don't freak if it's not a masterpeice, many more songs down the road. ;)
 
Here' s an idea;

I am not a drummer, so write a lot of stuff with a click, relying on the guitars and keys to carry the song.

Recently I have worked with a fine drummer, and learned about the importance of a "Groove."
My songs are better now, and I have improved as a rhythm guitarist.

My suggestion is that you find at least one other musician that you can trust; who has some talent on instruments that you don't have.

Colaboration will help you with arrangements.

Sincerely;

Dom Franco
 
I've found early morning the best time to track for some reason.

Do a bunch or "scratch pads" before you actually take the time out to get everything sounding great. It doesn't take too long, and if you run a quick once through of your ideas on tape it's easier to hear how you want things to go. You my find yourself shortening or lengthening a verse or chorus, or maybe dropping an acoustic for an electric, etc. It helps a lot, and there is nothing worse then spending all day recording a song that you find out at the end could have been a lot better by changing one or two little things that are now impossible with all th ework you've done. You may even find yourself stuck with the less favorable version of the song for all of eternity if you're too lazy to go back and spend anotehr day doing it all over again.
 
Once again, Rats is right.

I get up early every day to write. No disturbances.

Think on this: Remember when you were a little kid, and you would draw a picture? You would start with some little part, like a hand, and work on it until you got it just right, and then go to the arm until is was right, and then the head, and so on and so on. You ended up with a guy with perfect body parts, but they were all horribly out of proportion. Then you saw a real artist, and how they would lightly sketch out the entire body with very little detail until they had just a rough shape that was pleasing, and only then would they begin to add detail, always keeping in mind the overall picture. Never obsessing on one small part at the expense of the entire thing, until they ended up w/ a beatiful drawing.

Approach songs like that. Get the whole song down. Fast. Record it as fast as you can and get all the pieces in place. Forget about tone. Forget about how good perforances are. Forget about levels. Just get the song down and think about getting the various pieces arranged in a way that makes a pleasing song structure. Only after you have the song layed out should you even start thinking about redording and instrumentation details. Then begin working in the details, but never at the expense of the whole song.

And one more thing: Writing songs is a two step process: writing and editing. While the writer in your brain is working, send the editor in your brain out for pizza. He should not even be in the room while the writer is working, because writers never do their best work w/ editors looking over their shoulders.

Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com
 
Aaron & Rats,

Great advice you guys, I was almost inspired myself! Aaron that was particulary eloquent the way you described that, I almost stole your words for a song!
 
Thanks everyone!!

I have been so used to always collaborating, my job in song writing has usually been secondary. So, this is my first time with all the chemicals in the lab in front of me.

I have noticed that I have been doing some of the things recommended without even knowing it. That was a huge boost. And Aaron, damn, that was a thing of beauty. My musician friends were all like, "Yeah, exactly!!!"

Soulman
 
hey man, theres a solution to everything, but pop music.

well, if you have a great riff, and great melody, just make variations. Listen to a lot of bands, including pop, punk, rock, whatever. Sometimes they can't think of more then one lick. Solution? simple. Variations. Just change around the picking pattern or change the chords around. Usually if you change the chords around, it'll sound fine. You can pick one note at a time during the verses with the guitar line, or you can pick a different pattern (like a punk speed metal lick) then make a transition to a heavy chorus thats just straight forward. If you change vocals to go with it, like from low to high, soft to heavy, drunk to smart, it should work perfectly fine. Hmm, don't believe me? download Tearing Everyone Down by Anti-Flag. Its all 4 chords. (mighty be Tearing Everybody Down). Well, there are those in genius bands of course, which have great ears for writing and know what notes to hit on vocals. Usually these bands are the most uncredited, which pisses me off. 2 examples. Technically: Dream Theater. Just damned good and amazing song writing: Finger Eleven. Those are 2 of my favorite bands. Its all practice, if you keep playing guitar, you will songwrite. Mostly its getting to know the notes on guitar. If you do that, your ear will build, and soon you will be able to think of stuff in your head and flat out play it. You can never stop improving.
 
aaron, it could be heard as three chords too - a quick trip to C before that G.
but anyway... listen to john lee hooker. there's a lot of 1-chord-songs ;-).
 
Well,

I think Van Halen were one of the worst metal bands of the 80's and I always found the production empty and that Eddie had way too much reverb on his guitar. And David Lee Roth would be more suited to being part of the rat pack. Now take a band like "The Cult", they really rocked!
 
Yeah, that first VH album sounded like it was recorded with one mic positioned way up in the rafters at Grand Central Station.
 
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